Here is an exam response written in 12 minutes:
Explain why audiences listen to The Archers. Refer to Uses and Gratifications theory in your response.
WRITTEN IN 12 MINS
Audiences listen to The Archers for many reasons. It is the longest running radio soap opera so has longevity and audiences may have grown up with older family members listening. It has the status of a British institution so audiences have a sense of pride about the programme.
One gratification audiences receive is entertainment (Blumer and Katz). It is the BBC’s remit to “inform, educate and entertain” and BBC Radio 4’s remit to include speech based drama. The soft farming storylines have transitioned from their original intent to inform back in 1951, to entertain with cheese making developments and lambing worries. Audiences enjoy the short episodes as they are dramatic and easily enable listeners to follow characters and storylines.
Recently, the Helen and Rob’s domestic abuse storyline informed audience members, gaining the largest listening audience ever. Audiences used The Archers for social interaction, tweeting their responses and discussing in forums. Ofcom received complaints about the violence in the episode where Helen stabs Rob, though the complaint was not upheld. Some audience members took an oppositional view as The Archers had moved from soft storylines to hard-hitting ones. There were also preferred readers who were gratified by the personal relationship formed with Helen Archer. A JustGiving page was set up in her name and has raised over £173K. The University of Brighton found that 76% of the listenership were female so this personal relationship could be seen as an example of female solidarity (though the page was set up by a male). There is a small audience who may identify with Helen Archer, or see the signs in friends or family members. They have used The Archers for information and been educated by the programme.
Therefore, audiences listen to The Archers for entertainment primarily, but they also get information and education from it. They have also used social media to socially interact and have formed personal relationships with the characters.
Real time so surveillance.
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